Alesana

October 2004 saw Alesana come together, its origins in Baltimore before the band locked in its roster in Raleigh, North Carolina. Guitarist/vocalist Shawn Milke, guitarist Patrick Thompson, vocalist Dennis Lee, bassist Steven Tomany, and drummer Daniel Magnuson supplied the initial lineup. Their fusion of post-hardcore and metal elements with pop hooks and earnest lyrics quickly established the group as a local mainstay, prompting Tragic Hero Records—the independent label based in their city—to sign them first. The resulting debut EP, Try This with Your Eyes Closed, surfaced in mid-June 2005. Online sales flourished through grassroots word of mouth and digital promotion, generating notable interest within screamo circles. To strengthen their sound, Alesana recruited drummer Jeremy Bryan and third guitarist/vocalist Adam Ferguson ahead of their inaugural U.S. tour, which included a performance slot at Cornerstone Festival. Summer 2006 brought the full-length On Frail Wings of Vanity and Wax, whose cumulative momentum secured a contract with Fearless Records in California before the year closed. That label delivered a reissue of On Frail Wings, complete with fresh artwork and added material, in March 2007.